Privacy is an issue inherent to any discussion over the “internet of things”. In almost every V2X technology – V2L and some implementations of V2H possibly excepted – your vehicle becomes part of a large, interconnected network that will sometimes rely on personal data, and that always brings with it the risk of personal data being exposed. Whether consumers used to handing over their data without a thought on social media sites and smartphone apps will care or not is another matter…
What cars currently use V2X tech?
V2L is currently the most commonly available V2X tech in modern cars. It’s available on a large range of electric vehicles in the UK, including all BYD cars, most Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EVs, Volkswagen ID models, other Volkswagen Group EVs such as the Skoda Enyaq and Cupra Tavascan, several MGs, the Polestar 2 and 3, and the new Renault 5. In the United States, several electric pickups, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Tesla Cybertruck have V2L.
Vehicle to home and vehicle to grid are both slightly less common, but becoming more so as the technology improves – the electric Renault 5 includes both, while others that offer both V2H and V2G include the Audi Q4 e-tron, VW’s ID models and the Cupra Tavascan and Skoda Enyaq once again, the Kia EV9, and the Polestar 3.
Tesla also offers V2L and V2H (you can even charge one Tesla with another Tesla) on most models, but not yet V2G – Elon Musk says the latter is due in 2025, though you should probably take promises like that with a grain of salt.
V2I and V2V technologies are less common and more tied to the development of autonomous vehicles. Audi experimented with the technology more than a decade ago in some prototypes and a handful of production models can, if the local infrastructure allows for it, communicate with traffic signals, letting you know how long it is until a light turns green.
Several other manufacturers have promised V2I and V2V technology in recent years but later pulled out of such commitments – back in 2018 Toyota said it’d have V2X tech in its cars in the US by 2021 but changed its mind just a year later. That said, the brand does offer some V2X features in Japan, such as notifying drivers that an emergency vehicle is near, and communicating with other Toyota’s using radar cruise control.
Frequently Asked Questions
V2X means “vehicle to everything” technology, where vehicles can communicate and interact with the world around them, from sharing data about their location with other vehicles, to EVs that can send power to your home or back to the grid at peak times.
What do you think the future of car technology looks like? Let us know in the comments below…
This post was originally published on here
